Prologue

"Aish, nasaan kasi si Kia?!" I shouted in frustration. "Dapat tinutulungan niya ako ngayon ah? Hindi lang
naman aking grocery ito! It will be my first day tomorrow sa residency ko!" Hindi ko talaga alam kung
nasaan ngayon ang babaisot na iyon.

“Acabo de Ilegar de españa!” I half-whispered to my self.

I just came back from Seville, Spain a month ago. Hindi pa sana ako uuwi, dapat ay roon ko pa itutuloy
ang pagdodoctor ko. But, I really miss being home, and Philippines is my home.

Doon ako nag-aral ng college sa kursong Medicina. It took me 4 years to finish my Med School Proper
and 1 year internship. And now that I'm back, ipagpapatuloy ko ang residency ko sa hospital ng Dad ko.

In 5 years that I was gone, hindi naman ako nawalan ng connection dito sa Pilipinas. Nakaka-usap ko pa
din ang pamilya at mga kaibigan ko, maliban sa kanya. Wala akong naging balita sa kanya simula noon.
Hindi din naman nagbabanggit ang mga kaibigan ko. Siguro ay iniiwasan na din nila ang topic na iyon sa
pag-iisip na maaaring hindi ko ito magustuhan.

Sa ngayon, ang huling balita ko ay ganap ng Civil Engineer ang dalawa ‘kong kaibigan na sina Timothy at
JM. Siyempre proud ako, dating siraulo ba naman, engineer na ngayon! Si Alvin naman ay ang siyang
humahawak sa business ng kanilang pamilya. Si Tania at Kia naman, well, Architects na rin.

Magkasama kami ngayon ni Kia sa iisang condo, kaya ang grocery ko ay grocery din niya. Hati na kami sa
buwanang gastos. Pero kanya kanyang tago kapag may biniling para sa sarili lamang. Magkababata kami
kaya naisipan ng mga magulang namin na pagsamahin na kami sa isang condo. Hindi naman ako iba sa
pamilya ni Kia, vice versa.

Sa isang buwan ‘kong pagbabalik dito sa Pilipinas, ay hindi ko pa ulit namimeet ulit sina Tania. In fact,
hindi pa nila alam na nandito na ulit ako. Maliban na lang kung nadulas si Kia sa kanila, pero mukhang
hindi naman.
Sa loob ng limang taon, marami na’ng nangyari. Marami akong nakilala at nakasama. Madami akong
natutunan at nalaman. Madami akong nagustuhan at inayawan. May mga kapwa Pilipino din akong
nakakasalamuha sa Spain. Naging masaya naman ako.

When I was a child, I really want to go to Seville, Spain. Doon kasi naninirahan ang old-man ni Dad
together with MommyLa. Old-man daw eh, tsh si DaddyLo talaga. Madalas kasi ay sila ang bumibisita
dito sa Pilipinas, kaya hindi ako nagka-chance na pumaroon noon. Niyayaya sila ni Dad na dumito na lang
sa Pilipinas para malapit samin, kaso mapilit ang matatanda. Kasama nila roon sa Spain sina Manang Fely
na matagal nang naninilbihan sa pamilya namin, ganun din si Yaya Kat.

Ngayon ay nakatira sina Mom and Dad sa mansiyon nila sa Quezon na ipinatayo nila nang ikasal sila. Si
Dad pa din ang namamahala sa Hospital, at si Mom naman ang siyang namamahala sa namana niyang
Pharmacy kayna Grandma.

"Excuse me, Miss."

"Dios mio!" nagugulat kong sigaw. Gosh! Sa pag-iisip ay hindi ko namalayan na nakahara na pala ako sa
daan sa grocery store.

"What? Excuse me, Miss. Kanina ka pa kasi nakatayo diyan." The guy smiled at me.

"S-sorry, sorry." paulit-ulit kong hingi ng tawad.

"It's fine. Are you alright Miss?" he asked.

"S-si, si!" I replied. "I mean, yes! I'm fine." bawi ko. Jusko!

"Half?" he asked.

"Huh?" tanong ko. "What do you mean?" 

"S-sorry. I mean half ka? You're speaking spanish earlier." he shrugged. 

"A-ah, no. I mean, kagagaling ko lang Spain, pero hindi ako half." I smiled.

"Ahh, well.. That explains." he answered, nodding his head.

"S-sige, una na ako. Pasensya na ulit." I smiled at him. Umamba akong aalis na nang hawakan niya ang
braso ko.

"Uhh.. Can I ask your name?" he smiled shyly, scratching the back of his neck. “Jackson, by the way.” He
stretched his hand forward.

I smiled at him again. "Harriet.." accepting his hand, I answered.

“Just came home, huh?” he chuckled.

“Yeah..” I chuckled as well.

“Wanna grab some coffee?” he offered, smiling sexily.

“Uhh, erm..” I scratched the back of my ear, “I need to go home early eh. May kailangan pa ako
tapusin.” I smiled at him sheepishly.

He nodded. “How about your number? Can I have?”

“Uhh..” he looks like a good person naman, maybe I can? “O-okay..”

“Here.” He offered me his phone, “Maybe I can ask you for a dinner some other time?”

“If I’m free, why not?” I replied, chuckling while handing him his phone.
“It’s nice meeting you, Harriet.” He smiled.

"It’s nice meeting you as well, Jackson.”

“Hope to see you around. I gotta go—" he was cutted when someone shouts.

"Jackson!"

"Here he goes. That’s my brother." he whispered, pointing at somewhere behind him. "Wait lang Kuya
Mc Son!" then he looked at me and smiled again. "I'll go now." 

I nodded and smiled back. "See you around."

He nodded one last time before leaving. Sumunod ang tingin ko sa kanya at nakita ko siyang sinalubong
ng isang lalaki na kamukha niya. So that guy is his brother?

I shook my head and continued buying our groceries.

While walking on the beverages shelves, a familiar drink caught my attention.

“Dutchmill Delight, huh?” I chuckled, “I missed this!” I giggled, taking four packs of it.

After completing what we need for the whole month, I headed at the cashier when I heard my phone
rings. Kia? May ipapadagdag ba ito?

"Kia? What do you need?" I answered the call.

"W-where are you?" I can hear her panicking.

"Why? What happened? Is there something wrong?" sunod- sunod kong tanong. Nag-aalala ako sa tono
niya.

"Y-yes, I’m fine.. I’m fine. Tinatanong ko lang kung asan ka?" 

I thank the cashier before walking out of the grocery store, carrying two bags of groceries. "Pauwi na.
Bakit?"

"Wala.. Umuwi ka na kaagad ha? Mag-gagabi na eh. S-sige na. Ingat ka, bye. Love you!"

"Oh.. okay, bye. Love you too." I replied and ended the call. Weird. 

I shook my head and put our groceries at the backseat of my car. I hopped in and started the engine. 

"Ano kayang problema nun?" I asked myself. I just shrugged and started driving. 

I was on my way to our condo, when I saw a familiar place. I slowed down.

The playground..

Thousands of memories came back.. I was not on my mind when I maneuvered my steering wheel to
that direction. 

I went out of my car and started walking slowly towards the playground, savoring the feeling of
famfamiliarity.

“I think going here is a bad idea..” I shook my head and continue walking, gazing at every corner of the
playground when my eyes fell at the direction of the swing. The swing.. It brings a lot of memories. 

Natigilan ako sa paglalakad ng may maaninaw akong tao na naka-upo sa swing. What time is it already?
Bakit may tao pa dito?
Ikaw nga nandito din eh. The back of my head answered me. I shook my head and sighed deeply. I was
about to leave and ignore the guy when I accidentally stepped on an empty water bottle. Damn..

"Bakit ka kasi paharang-harang sa tinatapakan ko? Dapat nasa basurahan ka. Sa recycle bin. Ang kalat ng
mga taong pumupunta dito." pagkausap ko sa bote.

"Excuse.. me, Miss?" the guy spoke behind me.

I gulped. I lifted my head to look at him. "I'm sorry. Did I disturbed you? I-I was about to leave-" he cuts
me. I can't see his face because it's a little bit dark on his position.

"Alazeyah?" his voice echoed in my ears.

That voice.. My hands trembled when I recognized his voice. "U-uh, e-excuse me.. Y-you know me?"
pagpapatay-malisya ko. My eyes starts watering. He's the only one who calls me Alazeyah.. But why am I
still affected?

He moved, he stepped a little bit closer to me. The light from the street light reflects on his eyes. My
heart beats faster than usual. His face is now visible.. His sharp jaw, those emerald eyes.

My tears are forming on the sides of my eyes. I tried my best not to cry in front of him, but I’m miserably
failing. I looked away and secretly wiped my tears. I don't want him to see me crying.. again. But my
tears are such a traitor. They keep on falling down.

"A-Alazeyah?" he whispered, he called me.. Again.

"D-don't call me that." matigas kong sabi.

"Harriet.." he whispered. His voice broke.

"I d-don't know you. Please, stop calling me that way. We aren't close for first name basis." I sarcastically
told him.

"You didn't change, huh?" he chuckled a little. "You don't know me?" he asked, I didn't answer, avoiding
his eyes. "It's me Kendrick.. I am once your Kendrick." he smiled painfully.

"Fuck, it happened in the same place.." I whispered, sobbing.

CalessSerenity